diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b22a77a..b2eec14 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -22,23 +22,10 @@ build-helper:
 
 # ── Install ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-install: build udev _install-user
-	@echo ""
-	@echo "Done. Edit $(CONFIG_DIR)/config.yaml to configure your keys."
-	@echo "To enable privileged commands (suspend, reboot, etc): make install-helper"
-
-_install-user:
-	install -Dm755 $(BINARY) $(BIN_DIR)/$(BINARY)
-	mkdir -p $(CONFIG_DIR)/icons
-	@if [ ! -f $(CONFIG_DIR)/config.yaml ]; then \
-		install -Dm644 config.example.yaml $(CONFIG_DIR)/config.yaml; \
-		echo "Default config written to $(CONFIG_DIR)/config.yaml"; \
-	else \
-		echo "Config already exists — not overwriting"; \
-	fi
-	install -Dm644 systemd/streamdeck-go.service $(SYSTEMD_USER)/streamdeck-go.service
-	systemctl --user daemon-reload
-	systemctl --user enable --now streamdeck-go.service
+# Interactive install — prompts for dotfiles directory, creates symlink,
+# installs binary + udev rule + systemd user service.
+install:
+	@bash install.sh
 
 # Install the privileged helper (requires sudo).
 # Creates a 'streamdeck' group, adds the current user to it, installs the
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bb8efa7..b4270b5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ interleave partial image data across keys.
 
 ### Option A — `make install` (recommended)
 
-Builds the binary, installs the systemd user service, and writes a default config
-if one doesn't already exist.
+An interactive installer that handles everything, including optional dotfiles
+directory integration.
 
 ```bash
 # Prerequisites
@@ -110,22 +110,55 @@ cd streamdeck-go
 make install
 ```
 
-`make install` does the following automatically:
+The installer walks you through the whole setup:
 
-1. Installs the udev rule (`/etc/udev/rules.d/99-streamdeck.rules`) so the device is accessible without root
-2. Builds the binary and copies it to `~/.local/bin/streamdeck-go`
-3. Creates `~/.config/streamdeck-go/` and `~/.config/streamdeck-go/icons/`
-4. Writes a starter `~/.config/streamdeck-go/config.yaml` (only if one doesn't exist)
-5. Installs and enables the systemd user service — starts now and on every login
+```
+  ❯ Building streamdeck-go...
+  ✓ Build complete
 
-After install, edit your config:
+  ❯ Checking udev rule...
+  ✓ udev rule already installed — skipping
+
+  Config location
+  ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+  · streamdeck-go stores its config and icons in a single directory.
+  · You can keep that directory inside your dotfiles repo and symlink it
+  · into ~/.config — the same pattern used by Hyprland, Waybar, etc.
+
+  ❯ Use a dotfiles directory? [Y/n]
+  ❯ Path to dotfiles repo [~/dotfiles]:
+
+  · Will create:
+  ·   ~/dotfiles/.config/streamdeck-go/
+  ·   ~/dotfiles/.config/streamdeck-go/config.yaml
+  ·   ~/dotfiles/.config/streamdeck-go/icons/
+
+  · Will symlink:
+  ·   ~/.config/streamdeck-go
+  ·   └─▶ ~/dotfiles/.config/streamdeck-go
+
+  ❯ Confirm? [Y/n]
+```
+
+The resulting structure inside your dotfiles repo mirrors everything else in `.config`:
+
+```
+~/dotfiles/
+└── .config/
+    ├── hypr/
+    ├── waybar/
+    └── streamdeck-go/       ← lives here, symlinked to ~/.config/streamdeck-go
+        ├── config.yaml
+        └── icons/
+```
+
+After install, edit and save `config.yaml` — the deck reloads live, no restart needed:
 
 ```bash
 $EDITOR ~/.config/streamdeck-go/config.yaml
 ```
 
-Changes are picked up automatically — no need to restart anything.
-
 To remove:
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9c040e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,356 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# streamdeck-go installer
+# Handles dotfiles-aware installation with interactive prompts.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+BINARY="streamdeck-go"
+BIN_DIR="${HOME}/.local/bin"
+SYSTEMD_USER="${HOME}/.config/systemd/user"
+UDEV_RULE="/etc/udev/rules.d/99-streamdeck.rules"
+XDG_CONFIG="${HOME}/.config"
+DEFAULT_DOTFILES="${HOME}/dotfiles"
+
+# ── Colours ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+if [[ -t 1 ]]; then
+  BOLD='\033[1m'; DIM='\033[2m'
+  RED='\033[0;31m'; GREEN='\033[0;32m'; YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+  BLUE='\033[0;34m'; CYAN='\033[0;36m'; MAGENTA='\033[0;35m'
+  NC='\033[0m'
+else
+  BOLD=''; DIM=''; RED=''; GREEN=''; YELLOW=''
+  BLUE=''; CYAN=''; MAGENTA=''; NC=''
+fi
+
+CHECK="${GREEN}✓${NC}"
+CROSS="${RED}✗${NC}"
+ARROW="${CYAN}❯${NC}"
+WARN="${YELLOW}⚠${NC}"
+DOT="${DIM}·${NC}"
+
+# ── Helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+nl()    { echo ""; }
+step()  { echo -e "  ${ARROW} $1"; }
+ok()    { echo -e "  ${CHECK} $1"; }
+warn()  { echo -e "  ${WARN} $1"; }
+info()  { echo -e "  ${DOT} $1"; }
+error() { echo -e "  ${CROSS} ${RED}$1${NC}"; }
+dim()   { echo -e "  ${DIM}$1${NC}"; }
+
+prompt_yn() {
+  local msg="$1" default="${2:-y}"
+  local opts; [[ $default == "y" ]] && opts="Y/n" || opts="y/N"
+  echo -ne "  ${ARROW} ${msg} ${DIM}[${opts}]${NC} "
+  read -r _answer </dev/tty
+  _answer="${_answer:-$default}"
+  [[ $_answer =~ ^[Yy] ]]
+}
+
+prompt_input() {
+  # echo-ne goes to /dev/tty so it isn't captured when called inside $()
+  local msg="$1" default="$2"
+  echo -ne "  ${ARROW} ${msg} ${DIM}[${default}]${NC}: " >/dev/tty
+  read -r _input </dev/tty
+  echo "${_input:-$default}"
+}
+
+pick_directory() {
+  local default="$1"
+  local result=""
+
+  if command -v fzf &>/dev/null; then
+    echo -e "\n  ${DIM}arrow keys to navigate · enter to select · ctrl-c to type path manually${NC}\n" >/dev/tty
+    result=$(
+      find "$HOME" -maxdepth 4 -type d 2>/dev/null | sort |
+      fzf --height=50% \
+          --reverse \
+          --border=rounded \
+          --prompt="  ❯ " \
+          --header=" Select dotfiles directory" \
+          --preview="ls -1 {} 2>/dev/null | head -30" \
+          --preview-window="right:35%:border-left" \
+          --query="dotfiles" \
+          --bind="ctrl-c:abort"
+    ) || result=""
+  fi
+
+  # fzf not available or ctrl-c pressed — fall back to plain text input
+  if [[ -z "$result" ]]; then
+    echo -ne "  ${ARROW} Path to dotfiles repo ${DIM}[${default}]${NC}: " >/dev/tty
+    read -r result </dev/tty
+    result="${result:-$default}"
+  fi
+
+  echo "$result"
+}
+
+abspath() {
+  # Expand ~, resolve to absolute path without requiring it to exist yet.
+  local p="${1/#\~/$HOME}"
+  echo "$p"
+}
+
+# ── Dependency detection ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+detect_pkg_manager() {
+  if   command -v pacman &>/dev/null; then echo "pacman"
+  elif command -v apt    &>/dev/null; then echo "apt"
+  elif command -v dnf    &>/dev/null; then echo "dnf"
+  elif command -v zypper &>/dev/null; then echo "zypper"
+  else echo "unknown"
+  fi
+}
+
+# Returns 0 if hidapi dev headers are present (needed for cgo build).
+hidapi_present() {
+  pkg-config --exists hidapi-hidraw 2>/dev/null ||
+  pkg-config --exists hidapi        2>/dev/null ||
+  ldconfig -p 2>/dev/null | grep -q libhidapi
+}
+
+install_pkg() {
+  local pm="$1"; shift
+  local pkgs=("$@")
+  case "$pm" in
+    pacman) sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm "${pkgs[@]}" ;;
+    apt)    sudo apt-get install -y "${pkgs[@]}" ;;
+    dnf)    sudo dnf install -y "${pkgs[@]}" ;;
+    zypper) sudo zypper install -y "${pkgs[@]}" ;;
+  esac
+}
+
+# ── Header ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+nl
+echo -e "  ${BOLD}${CYAN}streamdeck-go${NC}  ${DIM}installer${NC}"
+echo -e "  ${DIM}━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━${NC}"
+nl
+
+# ── 1. System dependencies ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+step "Checking system dependencies..."
+PM="$(detect_pkg_manager)"
+
+# Go
+if ! command -v go &>/dev/null; then
+  warn "Go not found."
+  if [[ "$PM" == "unknown" ]]; then
+    error "Could not detect a package manager — install Go manually: https://go.dev/dl/"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if prompt_yn "Install Go now?" "y"; then
+    case "$PM" in
+      pacman) install_pkg pacman go ;;
+      apt)    install_pkg apt golang-go ;;
+      dnf)    install_pkg dnf golang ;;
+      zypper) install_pkg zypper go ;;
+    esac
+    ok "Go installed: $(go version)"
+  else
+    error "Go is required to build — aborting."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+else
+  ok "Go found: $(go version | awk '{print $3}')"
+fi
+
+# hidapi (C library + dev headers required for cgo)
+if hidapi_present; then
+  ok "hidapi found"
+else
+  warn "hidapi not found (required for USB HID communication)."
+  if [[ "$PM" == "unknown" ]]; then
+    warn "Could not detect a package manager — install hidapi manually, then re-run."
+    warn "  Arch:   sudo pacman -S hidapi"
+    warn "  Debian: sudo apt install libhidapi-dev libhidapi-hidraw0"
+    warn "  Fedora: sudo dnf install hidapi-devel"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if prompt_yn "Install hidapi now?" "y"; then
+    case "$PM" in
+      pacman) install_pkg pacman hidapi ;;
+      apt)    install_pkg apt libhidapi-dev libhidapi-hidraw0 ;;
+      dnf)    install_pkg dnf hidapi hidapi-devel ;;
+      zypper) install_pkg zypper hidapi-devel ;;
+    esac
+    ok "hidapi installed"
+  else
+    error "hidapi is required — aborting."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+nl
+
+# ── 2. Build ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+step "Building ${BOLD}${BINARY}${NC}..."
+if go build -o "${BINARY}" ./cmd/streamdeck/ 2>&1; then
+  ok "Build complete"
+else
+  error "Build failed — aborting."
+  exit 1
+fi
+nl
+
+# ── 3. udev rule ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+step "Checking udev rule..."
+if [[ -f "${UDEV_RULE}" ]]; then
+  ok "udev rule already installed — skipping"
+else
+  info "Installing udev rule (requires sudo):"
+  dim "  ${UDEV_RULE}"
+  echo 'KERNEL=="hidraw*", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0fd9", MODE="0666"' \
+    | sudo tee "${UDEV_RULE}" >/dev/null
+  sudo udevadm control --reload
+  sudo udevadm trigger
+  ok "udev rule installed — device accessible without root"
+fi
+nl
+
+# ── 4. Binary ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+step "Installing binary to ${BOLD}${BIN_DIR}/${BINARY}${NC}..."
+mkdir -p "${BIN_DIR}"
+install -Dm755 "${BINARY}" "${BIN_DIR}/${BINARY}"
+ok "Binary installed"
+nl
+
+# ── 5. Dotfiles ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+echo -e "  ${BOLD}Config location${NC}"
+echo -e "  ${DIM}─────────────────────────────────────────────${NC}"
+nl
+info "streamdeck-go stores its config and icons in a single directory."
+info "You can keep that directory inside your dotfiles repo and symlink it"
+info "into ~/.config — the same pattern used by Hyprland, Waybar, etc."
+nl
+
+USE_DOTFILES=false
+CONFIG_DIR=""
+
+if prompt_yn "Use a dotfiles directory?" "y"; then
+  nl
+  DOTFILES_RAW="$(pick_directory "${DEFAULT_DOTFILES}")"
+  DOTFILES="$(abspath "${DOTFILES_RAW}")"
+
+  if [[ ! -d "${DOTFILES}" ]]; then
+    warn "Directory ${DOTFILES} does not exist — it will be created."
+  fi
+
+  CONFIG_DIR="${DOTFILES}/.config/streamdeck-go"
+  SYMLINK_TARGET="${XDG_CONFIG}/streamdeck-go"
+
+  nl
+  echo -e "  ${DIM}─────────────────────────────────────────────${NC}"
+  info "${BOLD}Will create:${NC}"
+  dim "    ${CONFIG_DIR}/"
+  dim "    ${CONFIG_DIR}/config.yaml  ${DIM}(if absent)${NC}"
+  dim "    ${CONFIG_DIR}/icons/"
+  nl
+  info "${BOLD}Will symlink:${NC}"
+  dim "    ${SYMLINK_TARGET}"
+  dim "    └─▶ ${CONFIG_DIR}"
+  echo -e "  ${DIM}─────────────────────────────────────────────${NC}"
+  nl
+
+  if ! prompt_yn "Confirm?" "y"; then
+    nl
+    warn "Aborted — nothing written."
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
+  USE_DOTFILES=true
+else
+  nl
+  CONFIG_DIR="${XDG_CONFIG}/streamdeck-go"
+  info "Config will go directly in ${CONFIG_DIR}"
+fi
+
+nl
+
+# ── 6. Create config directory ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+step "Setting up config directory..."
+mkdir -p "${CONFIG_DIR}/icons"
+ok "Created ${CONFIG_DIR}/icons/"
+
+if [[ ! -f "${CONFIG_DIR}/config.yaml" ]]; then
+  install -Dm644 config.example.yaml "${CONFIG_DIR}/config.yaml"
+  ok "Default config written to config.yaml"
+else
+  ok "config.yaml already exists — not overwritten"
+fi
+
+# Copy bundled icons (never overwrite existing ones the user may have customised).
+if [[ -d "icons" ]]; then
+  copied=0
+  for f in icons/*; do
+    [[ -f "$f" ]] || continue
+    dest="${CONFIG_DIR}/icons/$(basename "$f")"
+    if [[ ! -f "$dest" ]]; then
+      cp "$f" "$dest"
+      (( copied++ )) || true
+    fi
+  done
+  if (( copied > 0 )); then
+    ok "Copied ${copied} bundled icon(s) to ${CONFIG_DIR}/icons/"
+  else
+    ok "Bundled icons already present — not overwritten"
+  fi
+fi
+
+# ── 7. Symlink (dotfiles mode only) ───────────────────────────────────────────
+if [[ "${USE_DOTFILES}" == "true" ]]; then
+  nl
+  step "Creating symlink..."
+  SYMLINK_TARGET="${XDG_CONFIG}/streamdeck-go"
+
+  if [[ -L "${SYMLINK_TARGET}" ]]; then
+    existing="$(readlink -f "${SYMLINK_TARGET}")"
+    if [[ "${existing}" == "${CONFIG_DIR}" ]]; then
+      ok "Symlink already correct — skipping"
+    else
+      warn "Symlink exists but points to ${existing}"
+      if prompt_yn "Replace it?" "y"; then
+        rm "${SYMLINK_TARGET}"
+        ln -s "${CONFIG_DIR}" "${SYMLINK_TARGET}"
+        ok "Symlink updated → ${CONFIG_DIR}"
+      else
+        warn "Symlink not updated — you may need to fix this manually."
+      fi
+    fi
+  elif [[ -d "${SYMLINK_TARGET}" ]]; then
+    warn "${SYMLINK_TARGET} is a real directory (not a symlink)."
+    info "Move its contents to ${CONFIG_DIR} first, then re-run install."
+    warn "Skipping symlink — config will work from ${CONFIG_DIR} but is not linked."
+  else
+    mkdir -p "${XDG_CONFIG}"
+    ln -s "${CONFIG_DIR}" "${SYMLINK_TARGET}"
+    ok "Symlinked ${SYMLINK_TARGET} → ${CONFIG_DIR}"
+  fi
+fi
+
+# ── 8. Systemd user service ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+nl
+step "Installing systemd user service..."
+mkdir -p "${SYSTEMD_USER}"
+install -Dm644 systemd/streamdeck-go.service "${SYSTEMD_USER}/streamdeck-go.service"
+systemctl --user daemon-reload
+systemctl --user enable --now streamdeck-go.service
+ok "Service enabled and started"
+
+# ── Done ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+nl
+echo -e "  ${DIM}━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━${NC}"
+echo -e "  ${GREEN}${BOLD}All done.${NC}"
+nl
+
+if [[ "${USE_DOTFILES}" == "true" ]]; then
+  info "Your config lives in your dotfiles repo:"
+  dim "    ${CONFIG_DIR}/config.yaml"
+  dim "    ${CONFIG_DIR}/icons/"
+else
+  info "Your config:"
+  dim "    ${CONFIG_DIR}/config.yaml"
+  dim "    ${CONFIG_DIR}/icons/"
+fi
+
+nl
+info "Edit and save config.yaml — the deck reloads automatically."
+info "For privileged commands (suspend, reboot, etc): ${BOLD}make install-helper${NC}"
+nl
+info "Logs: ${DIM}journalctl --user -u streamdeck-go -f${NC}"
+nl
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 2c30680..70be297 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -49,5 +49,11 @@ func Load(path string) (*Config, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse config: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// Resolve relative icons_dir against the config file's directory so the
+	// binary works regardless of the working directory (e.g. as a systemd service).
+	if !filepath.IsAbs(cfg.IconsDir) {
+		cfg.IconsDir = filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(path), cfg.IconsDir)
+	}
+
 	return cfg, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/device/streamdeck.go b/internal/device/streamdeck.go
index 658ee7d..922d764 100644
--- a/internal/device/streamdeck.go
+++ b/internal/device/streamdeck.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"image"
 	"image/jpeg"
 	_ "image/png"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/sstallion/go-hid"
@@ -152,6 +153,12 @@ func (sd *StreamDeck) ReadButtons() ([]bool, error) {
 	data := make([]byte, readReportSize)
 	n, err := sd.dev.ReadWithTimeout(data, 250)
 	if err != nil {
+		// hidraw on Linux returns errors rather than (0, nil) for non-fatal
+		// conditions: timeout waiting for data, or EINTR (signal interrupted).
+		msg := strings.ToLower(err.Error())
+		if strings.Contains(msg, "timeout") || strings.Contains(msg, "interrupted") {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if n == 0 {